Scholarships in Australia for International Students

There are numerous scholarships in Australia for International students willing to pursue their higher education in Australia. These scholarships are offered by the Australian government and the respective Australian universities to which students have been admitted. Several private and public organizations also provide financial aid to international students at different levels of study.

These scholarships are designed to attract high-performing international students to Australia as well as those hoping to work in the country after graduating. Most of the scholarships offered to international students in Australia offer a substantial bulk payment, educational subsidies, or living allowances. Financial assistance is also offered in the form of bursaries and grants in addition to scholarships in Australia for international students.

Table of Contents

• Australian Government Scholarships for International Students
• Australian University Scholarships
• Other Australian Scholarships for International Students

Australian Government Scholarships for International Students

International students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Australia are eligible for various government-funded scholarships. These scholarships cover the full or partial tuition costs and other living expenses in Australia. Listed below are some of the scholarships in Australia for international students offered by the Australian government.

• Australia Awards Scholarships
• Destination Australia Scholarships
• International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS)

Australia Awards Scholarships

Australia Awards Scholarships previously known as Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) are long-term development awards offered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. These scholarships aim to promote knowledge, education links, and enduring ties between Australia and the neighboring countries through an extensive range of scholarship programs.

These scholarships are offered to students from developing countries particularly those countries located in the Indo-Pacific region enrolled in full-time undergraduate or postgraduate study at participating Australian universities and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions. These scholarships generally cover full tuition fees, return air travel, establishment allowance, contribution to living expenses (CLE), Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), and more.

Destination Australia Scholarships

Destination Australia Scholarships are offered by the Australian government to both local and international students willing to study in regional Australia. Over 1,000 scholarships worth $15,000 are offered every year to support the study and living expenses of students pursuing a Certificate IV to Doctorate level qualification at a regional campus of an eligible University in Australia.

The Destination Australia Program supports remote and regional Australian tertiary education providers by promoting activities that lead to growth and sustainability. Students are offered an opportunity to undertake high-quality education, training, and research, and to experience life in regional and remote Australia. This ensures that the regions share the social, cultural, and economic benefits that international students bring.

International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS)

International Postgraduate Research Scholarships are offered to international students enrolled in postgraduate research in Australia to gain experience with leading Australian researchers. These scholarships are generally offered to international research candidates with a first-class honors degree or equivalent.

The scholarships are offered for a period of two years for a master’s degree in research and for three years for a doctorate degree in research. The scholarship amount is $29,843 per year with the possibility of a six-month extension for doctoral students. The scholarships cover the cost of health cover and also the tuition fees.

Australian University Scholarships

Australian education providers generally offer scholarships to qualifying international students based on academic merit. The admissions team or the international office of the respective university should be contacted to apply for a scholarship. Some of the popular scholarships in Australia offered by the Australian universities to international students are listed below:

• University of Sydney International Research Scholarships
• Macquarie University International Scholarships
• Griffith Remarkable Scholarships
• University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships
• Adelaide Global Excellence Scholarships for International Students
• Flinders International Postgraduate Scholarships
• Charles Darwin University Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achievers Scholarships
• UNSW International Scholarships

University of Sydney International Research Scholarships

The University of Sydney International Research Scholarships is offered to students eligible to undertake a postgraduate research degree or master’s research program at the University of Sydney. The objective of the scholarship is to attract top-quality international postgraduate students to undertake research projects which will, in turn, enhance the University of Sydney’s research activities. The amount of this scholarship is $35,629 per annum.

These scholarships cover the tuition fees and living allowance of students for up to three years. Doctoral students can get a scholarship extension of up to one semester. Students commencing research in both March and July are eligible to apply for this scholarship. A separate application is not required but students must indicate their interest in availing of the scholarship while filling up the relevant section of the Postgraduate Research Application form. 

Macquarie University International Scholarships

Macquarie University International Scholarships are offered to outstanding students pursuing an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Macquarie University North Ryde campus. The scholarship amount varies up to AUD $10,000 and covers the partial tuition fee of the students.

These scholarships are highly competitive and are based on the academic merit of international students. A limited number of scholarships are awarded and international students are advised to accept their offer and apply for the scholarship early on to avoid any disappointment.

Griffith Remarkable Scholarships

Griffith Remarkable Scholarships are awarded to academically exceptional students applying for undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Griffith University. These scholarships cover around 50% of the tuition fees and are deducted from the tuition fees for the duration of the respective program. These scholarships are valid for the entire duration of the course.

Students coming from countries other than Australia and New Zealand who have applied for admission to Griffith University before the scholarship application close date are eligible for the scholarship. The applicants should have a minimum GPA of 5.5 or above on a scale of 7.0 or equivalent in the previous study and should also satisfy all the academic and English language requirements for the respective undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program.

University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships

The University of Melbourne offers Graduate Research Scholarships to high achieving domestic and international graduate research students and includes benefits such as tuition fee waiver, living allowance, relocation grant, and overseas student health cover.

The total value of the scholarship is up to $110,000 and offers 100% fee remission. Around 600 scholarships are awarded each year that are applicable across all study areas. Students are automatically considered for the scholarship and no separate application is required.

Adelaide Global Excellence Scholarships for International Students

Adelaide Global Excellence Scholarships are offered to academically excellent international students who are commencing undergraduate and postgraduate coursework at the University of Adelaide. These highly competitive scholarships cover 50% of the tuition fees.

Each faculty at the University of Adelaide awards two scholarships of a 50% reduction of the tuition fee to the applicant in their faculty with the highest score above an ATAR of 98 or GPA of 6.8. These awards are open to citizens of any country other than Australia and New Zealand pursuing studies in any discipline.

Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (FIPRS)

Flinders International Postgraduate Research Scholarships are offered to deserving students pursuing a full-time research higher degree at Flinders University. The scholarships are offered for a period of up to two years for a master’s degree in research and for up to three years for a doctorate degree in research. These scholarships cover the international student tuition fees, living allowance, establishment allowance, relocation costs, and airfare.

FIPRS covers the international student tuition fees charged by Flinders University for a research higher degree in addition to a generous living allowance paid at the rate of $26,288. The scholarship amount is indexed annually and is exempted from tax. 

Charles Darwin University Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achievers Scholarships (CDU VCIHAS)

The Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achievers Scholarships are offered to academically excellent international students who are starting an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree at Charles Darwin University. These scholarships are offered in limited numbers and cover around 25-50% of the tuition fee.

International students on a student visa not holding another scholarship from an Australian or foreign sponsoring agency are eligible for the VCIHAS scholarship. The applicants should meet the academic and English language entry requirement for their chosen course at CDU. The applicant should also have a minimum overall score of 95% in their highest completed qualification. 

UNSW International Scholarships

UNSW International Scholarships are offered to international students willing to pursue full-time undergraduate and postgraduate coursework at the University of New South Wales. The scholarship covers partial or full tuition fees and may also provide a stipend to assist with the costs associated with the studies.

The scholarship amount is $5,000 per year and some other scholarships are offered that provide full or partial tuition fee payment, or a stipend. The applicant should have received an offer of admission from the University of New South Wales to be eligible for the scholarship.

Other Australian Scholarships for International Students

Apart from the scholarships given above, there are some other scholarships that can be availed by international students. The list of some of these scholarships is given below:

• International Water Centre Scholarships for International Students
• The Northcote Graduate Scholarship
• Fulbright Program

International Water Centre Scholarships for International Students 

IWC scholarships are available for international students enrolled in the Masters in Integrated Water Management program at the University of Queensland. The scholarship is worth $92,645 AUD per year. It covers the full cost of tuition, living expenses, return airfare to Australia, student visa costs, and provides health insurance coverage. There are three such scholarships awarded every year.

The Northcote Graduate Scholarship 

This scholarship is awarded to UK students to help them pursue a postgraduate degree in Australia for up to three years. It is administered by the Britain-Australia Society on behalf of the Northcote Trust. The amount of the scholarship is AUD 30,000 per annum.

Fulbright Program 

There are numerous scholarships available through the Australian-American Fulbright Commission to Americans of all career levels. With the help of this scholarships, the award participants conduct research and study at an Australian institution, experience life in Australia, and share their knowledge and experience back home with their communities in the U.S. This scholarship is valued at AUD 35,000 per annum.